Frequently Asked Questions about Placenta Services

Why should I encapsulate my placenta?Women are encapsulating their placentas because there is no supplement man-made or organic that can compete with your placentas ability to help you recover from childbirth. If you were taking any other medication you would wean yourself off of it. Supplementing your diet with your placenta is natures way of weaning your off of the hormones which sustained your pregnancy.Does research show increased milk supply through placenta ingestion? Yes! The first and still one of the few ever studies on using placenta as a lactagogon gave incredible results. 181 out of 210 women who were given dried placenta to increase milk supply had positive results and saw an increase in their milk supply. Encapsulated placenta has been proven to increase a breast-feeding mother's milk supply. Placenta as a Lactagogon;Gynaecologia 138: 617-627, 1954.

What is the difference between the "TCM" method and the "Raw" method?TCM stands for Traditional Chinese medicine. The placenta is cleaned under running water of clots and old blood and then gently steamed on a bed of lemon, ginger, and hot pepper. The Chinese believe that when a woman gives birth she loses a lot of "heat" from her body and these foods are considered warming and restorative. After the steaming the placenta is cut up, dehydrated, ground to a fine powder, and encapsulated.

The "raw" method isn't really raw. The placenta is still dehydrated it is just done without adding anything to the placenta first. The placenta is cleaned, cut up, dehydrated, ground to a fine powder, and encapsulatedWill my hospital "allow" me to have my placenta.Hospitals cannot allow or disallow you to have something that is yours. Hospitals rarely have real rules regarding the placenta their policies regarding placentas are as changeable as the wind. Some view it as medical waste, some sell it for research. The hospital's "policy" doesn't matter. It is YOUR placenta and the hospital, no matter what excuse or reason they give, has NO right to keep it from you or even to test it (which some hospitals insist on doing before releasing it) without your permission. I have a placenta release form I can send to you and you can have your care provider read and sign it beforehand to help ensure that you get your placenta with no issue. It basically says that the placenta is yours, they may not do anything with it, and that you hold the care provider and hospital completely harmless and absolve them of any responsibility to do with the placenta once it leaves the hospital.

How is the placenta transported?If you have selected to have me pick up your placenta I will transport it in an insulated cooler bag. If it is a hot day I will either bring ice in the bag or take some from the ice machine on the maternity floor.

How long does the placenta encapsulation process take?The placenta encapsulation process is done over 2 days. On the first day the placenta is prepared and put in the dehydrator overnight. This takes about 18-24 hours depending on the size of the placenta. The second day the dried placenta is ground and encapsulated.

How many capsules can I expect from my placenta?Placentas come in all sizes just as babies do. The amount of capsules that your placenta will provide depends on its size. You can expect 100-180 capsules after encapsulation.

Is it sanitary to encapsulate my placenta?Yes. Supplies and surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before and after use using an EPA-approved disinfectant.

Where is my placenta prepared?Your placenta is prepared on a nonporous sanitized surface using disposable (one time use only) and sanitized tools. You can read about the pros and cons of placenta preparation locations here. MammaGoddess Pregnancy & Birth Services chooses to prepare placentas in our own space where we are guaranteed a high level of cleanliness and sanitary precautions.

What kind of capsules do you use?The capsules are made from 100% vegetable product. They are free of starch, sugar, corn, syrup, wheat, dairy, and other potential irritants and preservatives. They are also Kosher and Halal certified. Therefore there shouldn't be any dietary concern.

How long can my placenta stay frozen before it is encapsulated? For the best results, encapsulation should happen as soon as possible. However, it is still beneficial to ingest encapsulated placenta even after it has been frozen for a period of time.